Children in taxis can be a nightmare for parents who worry about their safety, especially in busy traffic. A new service, which is a collaboration with baby goods retailer Baby Bunting and rideshare service Uber, aims to make life easier for parents by connecting riders with drivers who have child seats.

The service is available for Uber rides booked in advance for a $9.99 fee. The child car seats are provided by Uber and have been installed by driver-partners who have attended a workshop with Baby Bunting’s accredited ‘Baby on Board’ installers. Uber’s Australian general manager of partnerships and growth Mark Taylor says he believes the service will help address parental concerns about riding in taxis with children. “There’s been a real desire from the community to see more safe and secure options for transporting young families when travelling on their everyday journeys,” he said.

Taxi child seat rules vary across Australia, but generally all vehicles must have a child car seat anchor point and the driver can fit a passenger’s own child seat for an extra charge. In NSW, it’s mandatory to have a child restraint for kids up to seven years of age in all taxis and rideshare services, while kids under one should be on their parent’s lap or in a booster seat.

However, there’s no requirement for taxi companies in other states and territories to provide children’s car seats or boosters, even though many offer them as an optional add-on. In Victoria, the rules covering children travelling in booked vehicles — hire cars and rideshares — differ to those for taxis. baby seat taxi melbourne